Her Paladin
by Crystallion12
Summary: Shiro blinked at her, his eyes as black as the night sky, the light in their irises like tiny stars in their sheet-made darkness. He sighed, and she saw a smile creep onto his handsome features, as he began to stroke her hair. The Black Paladin mumbled and contently settled again. Allura resisted a grin. Time to play her favourite game. [Fluffy. Post S2. #ShalluraWeek2017.]


**Her Paladin**

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 **One-Shot - Written for** _ **Shallura Week 2017,**_

 **Future AU (Written at end of S2),**

 **Written by Crystallion12.**

 **Rated a light T- no language, just some fluff that's got slightly sexy undertones and mentions of Shiro's PTSD.**

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Here, in her Paladin's protection, it was safe and warm. Cuddly and strong. Secure and true. Snuggled against his body, it was her precious little haven in the chaos of life. The rising sun awoke her, though, beaming down on her eyelids from the vast arch to the right of their room, open to the sky past the huge sparkly black curtains- head on her paws, was the Black Lion, contently resting on the circular 'landing pad', a tower connecting straight to her Hanger in the Castle of Lions. She did prefer to sleep near her Paladin, whenever she could, so when they were in the Kingdom she'd be there, watching over their luxury Suite. She knew that on the right nightstand (the Queen was usually on the left), the Bayard of her Paladin was there and ready for even the slightest commotion that would threaten them.

Still, Allura didn't want to get up. Mumbling, her hand reached for the blanket, tugging it further over them.

The sound of a deep humming noise brought her doziness to a pleasant halt, and Allura smiled under the silky sheets.

It really didn't take much to stir her beloved.

His human arm was resting at the top of her head, now concealed by blankets; warm and muscular and scarred, as always. Allura nuzzled against it, breathing softly on his skin, grinning playfully.

He rumbled again, and a nose slowly poked under the silk, and she watched as the scar across its bridge and his face shifted under and into view.

"Morning, love…"

Shiro blinked at her, his eyes as black as the night sky, the light in their irises like tiny stars in their sheet-made darkness. He sighed airily, and she believed that was a smile that crept onto his handsome features, as his arm moved and found its way along her collarbone, sliding to rest on the nape of her neck, stroking her hair fondly. No words were needed, as if they could share thoughts. The Black Paladin mumbled again and contently rested his head on top of her own.

Allura resisted a grin. Time to play her favourite morning game.

"Hmmm. I'm quite snug here. Let's just stay here _all day_ -" And she watched those metallic eyes open, locking onto hers, and he raised one ebony eyebrow. She tried not to giggle, in vain. She trailed a delicate finger along the familiar scar on her husband's nose, smirking when he snorted in a form of annoyance.

"Allura," He said, calmly, and kissed her forehead. "We've got places to be."

Oh, so he was playing _this_ card… Allura smirked. She loved it when he was calm in the morning, like this. They'd shared many nights where he'd be far too restless for any of this- of course, she didn't mind. The Queen knew and accepted (and hated a now very-and-thankfully-dead Zarkon for it) that he was so damaged. It would happen.

But today wasn't one of those aftermaths, when Shiro would be sat up stiffly, silently vigilant, and fiercely protective of the room's occupants. Nervous and tense and eerily silent, watching the door, jumping at the slightest alarm.

Sometimes, he wouldn't even be there; occasionally she'd find him curled up around another of the Paladins, or all of them, or in his old (but still used) Paladin-allocated Quarters, needing some time alone, or sitting with his Lion. And sometimes, he'd even be completely awoken and perched somewhere, or doing something active like training or reading or working…

Sharing, was something she blessedly didn't mind doing, honestly, and _that_ was a miracle.

The Queen nestled against her King's bare chest, remembering he'd come in quite late, looking tense but exhausted. He hadn't even bothered with dressing, an unusual thing for a normal night's rest. Shiro preferred sleeping covered- his nightmares involved so much blood and violence, and memories of freezing, damp prison cells, metal floors and horrid tables and chains- really, it made sense that he'd need some form of comfortable grounding.

But it was sometimes warmer, like this, and Allura, as usual when the Guardian of the Sky was as open as his title, found herself tracing scars and burns and lean muscles over his body with a feather-light touch, occasionally rewarded with a shiver or a kindred hum of content. Apparently Shiro wasn't entirely head-in the game this morning, or he just didn't think anyone would notice a few more minutes off-schedule.

Eventually, he waned, and his breaths deepened, and he rumbled slightly as he propped himself up to a more alert position.

Time to delve into the delightful operations of their game.

"Shiiiiiiiro," She whined, tugging at his hand as it began to leave her hair. "Come on, sweetie, a little longer? You're so cuddly and snuggly beside me…" Allura pressed a line of kisses to his arm in the flesh, as the other was metal. The Earthling shivered slightly, and eyed her with a look of compilation.

Judging by his silence and his physical reactions, currently the Queen was winning. She held back a wider grin.

Shiro nuzzled her neck, his shoulders now lax. "How did you like the present?"

It seemed like such a bizarre and innocent question, but Allura inwardly cursed, sighing in defeat as said loss was drowned by the adoring affection and warmth glowing within her. She smiled and leant back, so she could gently drape her arms around the Paladin's strong neck, powerful and muscular. She traced a scar criss-crossing the back-base of it. She still remembered how baffled he had looked, and how embarrassed he'd been when they'd stared, and Lance had incredulously asked- _"How in the quiznak did you_ not _notice that?"_

Oh, her sweet, selfless knight in shining and glowing black-and-white armour.

"It's lovely," She murmured, feeling butterflies explore her stomach, feeling his hand on her arm, immersed in his bright silver gaze…

Whoops. _That_ had been vague. Careful to keep her head in the game, she returned his smooth, perfect moves with weapons in her own armoury, resting her nose against his neck, breathing softly against his throat. A faint mumble of what- a purr?- resounded quietly, _just_ for her ears. Allura smiled coyly, dropping a soft kiss and pulling her head away, so she could admire his eyes again. She knew they were coloured grey, like metallic steel or a river stone, but at times, Allura reckoned they could be so many different colours- deep blue and dark purple and silver and black…

"However did you manage to keep it a secret from me? I hope it wasn't too much hard work… You're not exactly the best or swiftest at sewing, dear."

Shiro grinned, and bopped his wife's nose, as if teasing. "I had most of the castle's help- Black kept it hidden, and Hunk, Pidge and the mice helped make it. Lance was actually our lookout-" He chuckled, "-I mostly just sat around, admittedly." He hummed and traced the hipline of the silk gown, and truly, it was beautiful, and Allura just knew it'd be worn a lot in the following nights. "It was a bit amusing at first, to be honest. The mice seemed to be arguing whether to make it pink or blue… Eventually, we added some lavender-purple and settled with all three. Hunk was actually the one to remind us of how much you liked that soft, silky fabric we saw that day, and Coran and I suggested the fluffy sleeves."

Allura hummed, casting a loving look at the four little critters, fuzzy, snoozing and asleep on her side of the pillow.

While they certainly loved cuddling up with the male occupant of the bed, they also knew some nights were scary. Besides- Allura's hair was a much better 'nest', apparently. That… That, and the fact that Shiro had his tendencies of waking up very early. Her Space Mice liked their lay-ins, thank you very much.

The Queen kissed Shiro's chest between the pectoral muscles, smirking when he purred again. _Success_. "Thank you, love. You're so good to me…"

He rumbled, straightening his broad shoulders, as if to press an image of a glorious, majestic lion. "I do try, Your Highness." _Well_ , Allura thought, finding a blush on her cheeks and a forming storm of butterflies in her stomach- _he's not far off._ The man's sly grin, as he drew his hand over her shoulder- _when did that get there?_ \- and his proud stature always managed to make her stumble. _Dammit_.

She tried changing the subject- maybe she could lower his confidence, in a manner of speaking. Allura was on a mission now- _objection: get Shiro rolling over and purring and being absolutely gorgeous and adorable and cuddly_.

"How was the mission last night? I heard you and Black coming in at some forsaken hour, and considering you weren't snarling and making war plans at a rapid rate, I'm presuming all three of you got back safe and unblemished?"

A snort, and a flash of embarrassed irritation. The Black Paladin's shoulders stiffened further, but his eyes were still warm and loving.

"That's… A tad bit _extreme_. I don't-"

"Oh, really? Because, wow, I thought- what was it, four weeks ago? You came storming into the Kingdom, crack of dawn, heaving and growling and sweating, your Lion looking murderous in the flaming backdrop, and you were loudly proclaiming that Ancient Temples were the equivalent of- err- the devil, was it?" She grinned. Shiro had turned a slight shade of rose. "And… Oh, yes. You were passionately growling about _explosions_ and _armies_ and _fighter fleets_ and _tearing apart deserts_ and _blowing up anyone who tried to stop you from saving your precious Paladin cubs_."

"Uh…"

Allura laughed, tugging her beloved down for a chaste kiss on the lips. He didn't resist, purring when they pulled apart, his hand resting just below her ribcage, occasionally brushing over her side. "Coran help us if we ever have kids," Allura murmured, grinning as he raised a brow, "Because you'd probably go _kaplooey_ on half the universe if someone did so much as even give our child a _papercut_."

That got him curious, humming as he focused himself on her inquisitive eyes, sparking like a cerulean ocean, the pink sunset glimmering across its surface.

"Yeah… I probably would… Well, _after_ Black and Keith go and personally _end_ said person."

" _SHIRO_ , I THOUGHT YOU SAID WE _CAN'T_ JUST GO AROUND MURDERING PEOPLE!"

"LANCE?! _What are you_ \- HEY! How _long_ have you all been _standing there!?"_

"Aww, well… Gotta run, love you too, Space Dad!"

"KEITH, STOP THEM."

" _KEITH!_ "

The sigh from the bright pink Shiro seemed to be tuned out entirely by Allura's ceaseless mirth of laughter, Black's rumbling- _she was laughing, too, well,_ that _made sense_ \- and the sound of Coran's confused questioning, while the laughing four Paladins thundered away, fleeing down the halls in a mad herd of amusement.

" _God-dammit_ , Keith. Well, I guess I'm still the Black Paladin for a _reason_ …"

 **-End-**

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 **Disclaimer** **:** I do not own Voltron: Legendary Defender, nor do I own its characters. Regrettably. Rights belong to the respective owners.

 **-Crystallion12,**

 _Completed 07/07/2017, written for_ Shallura Week 2017 _._


End file.
